‘Garbage house’ is emerging as a social issue in Japan. According to the analysis that disconnection from society and individual isolation are the essential causes before the sanitation problem, voices say that the government should take the lead in solving the garbage collection problem.
On the 1st (local time), the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that garbage houses are becoming a thorn in the eyes of local governments across Japan.
Garbage house, which is called ‘Komiyashiki’ (ごミ屋敷) in Japanese, refers to a house that piles up garbage so much that it becomes a nuisance to the neighbors.
As a result of the Ministry of the Environment’s survey of 1741 areas across Japan in September 2022, 5224 garbage houses have been identified over the past five years. About 90% of cases were discovered through citizen reports.
As a result of local governments guiding landlords and relatives and taking measures such as garbage disposal, the number of garbage houses decreased to 2,636.
According to the Asahi Shimbun, 101 local governments are responding by making ordinances on garbage houses, and 26 of them have prepared penalties such as fines. There are 55 places that are considering enacting ordinances.
Adachi-ku, Tokyo (?) is the most agile in responding to garbage collection. According to NHK, Adachi City has enacted the “Ordinance on Conservation of the Living Environment” since 10 years ago and is operating a specialized counter in charge of dealing with garbage collection.
The reason why Adachi City is actively tackling the garbage collection problem at the administrative level is that residents living in garbage houses are likely to be experiencing various mental and economic difficulties.
According to Adachi City, many of the residents of the garbage houses are isolated from the community. A health center in Tokyo pointed out that in the case of elderly single-person households, ‘garbage house syndrome’ occurs, in which mental illness such as dementia and decline in physical function make it impossible to dispose of garbage.
Adachi Ward Living Environment Conservation Division Director pointed out, “There are various cases, but the big problem is that people with mental problems are not connected to medical services.” “Many cases have been resolved through a coordinated response with health and welfare departments,” he said.
Analyzing the trash house of Makoto Watanabe of the Department of Media Communication at Bunkyo University in Hokkaido, it is the result of individuals failing to adapt to new changes. He also pointed out that “Japanese society has changed rapidly in a short period of time, and it is no longer possible to receive help from family and community as before.”
The Yomiuri Shimbun commented in an editorial on the 29th that not only local governments but also various ministries such as the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare should cooperate and respond.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.